Len Roberts-Smith
Encyclopedia
Major General
Leonard William Roberts-Smith RFD
QC
(born 1945) is a former Justice of the Supreme Court of Western Australia
, which is the highest ranking court
in the Australia
n State
of Western Australia
. He served in the Court of Appeals Division, and was first appointed on 6 November 2000. As of May 2007, he was also the serving Commissioner of the Corruption and Crime Commission
of Western Australia, having been appointed for a five-year term.
, and graduated in law from the University of Adelaide
in 1969. After serving as Chief Crown Prosecutor in Papua New Guinea
, he returned to South Australia
in 1976 and became a Stipendiary Magistrate. From 1978 until 1989, he became the foundation director of the Legal Aid Commission of Western Australia, and in December 1989, was named a Queen's Counsel
. He served as deputy president of the Equal Opportunity Commission from 1989 to 2000.
From 3 October 2001, Justice Roberts-Smith served as Acting Judge Advocate General (JAG) of the Australian Defence Force
, and on 6 June 2002, he was promoted to Major General
and appointed to the substantive position for a three-year term, becoming the first Western Australian to serve in the role. In 2005, he was reappointed by the Governor General of Australia for a further two years.
and transferred to the Sydney Conservatorium of Music
in early 2005; and Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith
(born 1978) who became Australia's most highly decorated current serving soldier after he was awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia
by Her Excellency, the Governor General of Australia, Quentin Bryce
on 23 January 2011 for most conspicuous gallantry in action in circumstances of extreme peril on 11 June 2010, during the Shah Wali Kot Offensive
in Afghanistan.
Major General (Australia)
Major General is a senior rank of the Australian Army, and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of Major General. It is the third-highest active rank of the Australian Army, and is considered to be equivalent to a two-star rank...
Leonard William Roberts-Smith RFD
Reserve Force Decoration
The Reserve Force Decoration is an Australian Military award given for long service by officers of the Reserve Forces. It is part of the suite of defence force service awards introduced in 1982, which also included the Defence Force Service Medal and the Reserve Force Medal The Reserve Force...
QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(born 1945) is a former Justice of the Supreme Court of Western Australia
Supreme Court of Western Australia
The Supreme Court of Western Australia is the highest state court in the Australian State of Western Australia. It has unlimited jurisdiction within the state in civil matters , and hears the most serious criminal matters.The Supreme Court consists of a General Division The Supreme Court of Western...
, which is the highest ranking court
Australian court hierarchy
There are two streams within the hierarchy of Australian courts, the federal stream and the state and territory stream. While the federal courts and the court systems in each state and territory are separate, the High Court of Australia remains the ultimate court of appeal for the Australian...
in the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n State
States and territories of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five states and three territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories, known as external territories, and a...
of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. He served in the Court of Appeals Division, and was first appointed on 6 November 2000. As of May 2007, he was also the serving Commissioner of the Corruption and Crime Commission
Corruption and Crime Commission
The Corruption and Crime Commission is a permanent investigative commission established by the Government of Western Australia in 2003, largely as a result of the findings of a Royal Commission into the state's police service. Its role is to investigate public corruption...
of Western Australia, having been appointed for a five-year term.
Background
He was educated at Saint Ignatius' College, AdelaideSaint Ignatius' College, Adelaide
The College has two campuses, the Junior school and Early Childhood Centre in Norwood and the Senior campus in Athelstone.Saint Ignatius' College is part of the international network of Jesuit schools which began in Messina, Sicily in 1548...
, and graduated in law from the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
in 1969. After serving as Chief Crown Prosecutor in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
, he returned to South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
in 1976 and became a Stipendiary Magistrate. From 1978 until 1989, he became the foundation director of the Legal Aid Commission of Western Australia, and in December 1989, was named a Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
. He served as deputy president of the Equal Opportunity Commission from 1989 to 2000.
Military legal career
Roberts-Smith joined the Australian Army Reserve in 1964. He transferred to the Australian Army Legal Corps in 1970. He was promoted to major in 1985, lieutenant colonel in 1986 and colonel in 1994.From 3 October 2001, Justice Roberts-Smith served as Acting Judge Advocate General (JAG) of the Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
, and on 6 June 2002, he was promoted to Major General
Major General (Australia)
Major General is a senior rank of the Australian Army, and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of Major General. It is the third-highest active rank of the Australian Army, and is considered to be equivalent to a two-star rank...
and appointed to the substantive position for a three-year term, becoming the first Western Australian to serve in the role. In 2005, he was reappointed by the Governor General of Australia for a further two years.
Family
Roberts-Smith has two sons; Sam (born 1986), an opera singer who completed two years of classical voice training at the Western Australian Academy of Performing ArtsWestern Australian Academy of Performing Arts
The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts , Edith Cowan University was established in 1980 to provide performing arts tuition comparable to the highest calibre of national and international training benchmarks to be able to meet industry needs around the globe.The school is located in the...
and transferred to the Sydney Conservatorium of Music
Sydney Conservatorium of Music
The Sydney Conservatorium of Music is one of the oldest and most prestigious music schools in Australia...
in early 2005; and Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith
Ben Roberts-Smith
Benjamin "Ben" Roberts-Smith VC, MG is an Australian soldier and a recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia, the highest award in the Australian honours system....
(born 1978) who became Australia's most highly decorated current serving soldier after he was awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia
Victoria Cross for Australia
The Victoria Cross for Australia is the highest award in the Australian Honours System, superseding the Victoria Cross for issue to Australians...
by Her Excellency, the Governor General of Australia, Quentin Bryce
Quentin Bryce
Quentin Bryce, AC, CVO is the 25th and current Governor-General of Australia and former Governor of Queensland....
on 23 January 2011 for most conspicuous gallantry in action in circumstances of extreme peril on 11 June 2010, during the Shah Wali Kot Offensive
Shah Wali Kot Offensive
The Shah Wali Kot Offensive was a five-day joint operation during the War in Afghanistan, conducted by Australian special forces and the Afghan National Army with US air support, between 10–14 June 2010...
in Afghanistan.
Further reading
- Len Roberts-Smith QC : administrative reformer and legal gladiator. Brief, Dec. 2000, p.27.
External links
- Biographical Details (Asia-Pacific Centre for Military Law)
- Media Statement, 5 December 2005 (Supreme Court of Western Australia)
- Judge Advocate General (Department of Defence)